As part of OzAsia 2017 we’re going to open entire front of the University of Adelaide for a full Sunday of family fun and activity!

Come and taste authentic Chinese food, participate in free Tai Chi classes, calligraphy and painting workshops and drawing lessons. There is something for everyone including a selection of cultural performances onsite all day.

Take the family on a whirlwind exploration of China here in Adelaide.

Curated by Stephen Whittington as part of the Confucius Institute Family Day, a selection of Chinese music acts will perform for free.

From noon onward there will be roving music performances outdoors including Erhu Duo and Sichuan face changers!

Inside Elder Hall, see some well-known local musicians from the Chinese community along with invited artists from China:

Former Australian Ambassador to China and current Secretary of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade Frances Adamson will discuss her perspectives on Australia and China as both countries move forward in the 21st century.

Held in the Historic Elder Hall on North Terrace this free public lecture will feature an address from Secretary Adamson and a chance to ask questions in a Q&A session.

Frances Adamson has led the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade as Secretary since 25 August 2016.

From 2011 to 2015, Ms Adamson was Ambassador to the People’s Republic of China. She served in the Australian Consulate-General in Hong Kong in the late 1980s during the early years of China’s reform and opening. From 2001 to 2005, she was seconded as Representative to the Australian Commerce and Industry Office in Taipei.

Ms Adamson has twice served in the Australian High Commission in London, as Deputy High Commissioner from 2005 to 2008 and as Political Counsellor from 1993 to 1997.

She was Chief of Staff to the Minister for Foreign Affairs and then the Minister for Defence from 2009 to 2010.

]]>https://blogs.adelaide.edu.au/confucius/2017/09/15/october-7-confucius-institute-annual-lecture/feed/0Xie Tao presents enlightening briefing on Chinese perceptions of Donald Trump’s Americahttps://blogs.adelaide.edu.au/confucius/2017/08/28/xie-tao-presents-enlightening-briefing-on-chinese-perceptions-of-donald-trumps-america/
https://blogs.adelaide.edu.au/confucius/2017/08/28/xie-tao-presents-enlightening-briefing-on-chinese-perceptions-of-donald-trumps-america/#commentsMon, 28 Aug 2017 00:56:50 +0000http://blogs.adelaide.edu.au/confucius/?p=2737On August 17 the Confucius Institute at the University of Adelaide was delighted to present an enlightening talk from Beijing based US politics expert Xie Tao on Donald Trump’s America, and its relationship with China.

Xie Tao, of Beijing Foreign Studies University is a professor of political science and an associate dean at the School of English and International Studies. With a long history of scholarship of US politics, he’s published extensively in both English and Chinese on US-China relations, and has been interviewed by many Chinese and foreign media outlets, including CCTV News, BBC, CNN, Al Jazeera, New York Times, and The Economist. He is also a regular contributor to China Power, a blog at www.thediplomat.com.

In this his first visit to Australia we were incredibly lucky to have him speak at the University of Adelaide, one of only two stops on a very quick visit, that also included an interview on ABC Radio National, and a talk at Sydney’s Australia-China Relations Institute with Bob Carr.

Xie Tao, spoke at length on the Chinese perceptions of the recent US election. He pointed out how Hillary Clinton was widely seen in China as much more qualified for the position than Donald Trump, but that despite his strong words on China, Trump consistently polled as more well liked amongst Chinese nationals. He also pointed out how poorly Clinton was perceived in China, and spoke of a number of editorials in China that seemed almost gleeful at Trump’s victory and the negative consequences for America.

Xie Tao’s take on Chinese perceptions of Trump & Clinton

As to the current view of the Chinese on the Trump administration Xie Tao spoke a lot on the mixed signals coming from the US, and the increased risks to the relationship through North Korea, Taiwan policy, political discord in Hong Kong and clashes over the South China Sea.

Professor Xie Tao speak on US-China policy

If you missed the lecture we hope to upload it to our YouTube page in the next few days.

]]>https://blogs.adelaide.edu.au/confucius/2017/08/28/xie-tao-presents-enlightening-briefing-on-chinese-perceptions-of-donald-trumps-america/feed/0OzAsia 2017 Program Launch!https://blogs.adelaide.edu.au/confucius/2017/07/31/ozasia-2017-program-launch/
https://blogs.adelaide.edu.au/confucius/2017/07/31/ozasia-2017-program-launch/#commentsMon, 31 Jul 2017 07:53:51 +0000http://blogs.adelaide.edu.au/confucius/?p=2717The program for this year’s OzAsia festival was released last week and it’s going to be huge, especially the Confucius Institute’s involvement.

In this our 10th anniversary year the Confucius Institute has gone big, and is involved in (an auspicious) 8 events, on a scale far beyond our previous years!

As with every year we’ll be there for the Moon Lantern Festival, but this year we’ll actually have our very own lantern!

Of course the lantern festival is but the start:

Sever’s Guan Yu

See Guan Yu and Diao Chan come to life in the live music and film extravaganza Sever – Critically acclaimed, this modern retelling of a Chinese folktale is in Adelaide all the way from Shanghai. See not only the full show but also learn more about the music that makes Sever possible with an exclusive (free!) workshop presented by the Confucius Institute. This workshop with Zhu Ma and his music group Xi Ban Band will give a sneak peak at the music to be performed at the following evening’s premiere. Gain insight into the instrumentation used as the musicians show and explain their unique Chinese instruments.

Mark October 8 in your diaries, as it is going to be a huge day for the Confucius Institute and North Terrace’s activation as part of OzAsia. The University of Adelaide will open its doors as the front of the University is transformed for the Confucius Institute Family Day. Completely free, the day will be fun-filled and kid-friendly China experience, with Tai Chi classes, roving performers, calligraphy and painting workshops, food and more. The day will also incorporate a music program at Elder hall, which will include the debut of the University of Adelaide’s Chinese Orchestra, School of Chinese Music & Arts Youth Orchestra, the Moonta Street World Music Group, and all the way from Beijing: Cui Jiayi playing the incredible Yangqin.

Folding Beijing author Hao Jingfang

Running at the same time, and less than 100 m down the road, will be a series of panels, talks and forums making up the Writing China series. With too much to list here, one particular talk this author will be checking out is ‘re-imagining’ featuring the writers: Hao Jingfang (Folding Beijing), Dorothy Tse (Snow and Shadow) and Julie Koh (Portable Curiosities). Hao Jingfang’s 2016 World Sci-Fi Hugo Award winning Novelette can be read in English for free here.

While on North Terrace look out for the enormous piece of public art Home , that will see 72 pigs in houses move in to the Goodman Lawns. A literal interpretation of the Chinese character for home (家), a pig under a roof, this artwork by Hong Kong artist GayBird Leung is interactive and includes light and sound. – more details here

Last but not least, we’re incredibly lucky to have the support of the Department of Foreign Affairs & Trade and it’s head Ms Frances Adamson, who will present the Annual Confucius Institute Lecture. Current Department secretary and former ambassador to China, Ms Adamson also acted as International adviser to Malcolm Turnbull and served in the Australian Consulate-General of Hong Kong in the late 1980s as it prepared for transfer of sovereignty back to China. Hear her unique perspectives on Australia and China as both countries move forward in the 21st Century.

]]>https://blogs.adelaide.edu.au/confucius/2017/07/31/ozasia-2017-program-launch/feed/0The 2017 Annual School Leader’s Tour of China a great success!https://blogs.adelaide.edu.au/confucius/2017/06/05/2684/
https://blogs.adelaide.edu.au/confucius/2017/06/05/2684/#commentsMon, 05 Jun 2017 06:42:03 +0000http://blogs.adelaide.edu.au/confucius/?p=2684Over the April school holidays the Confucius Institute along with our partners in Shandong held our annual trip for school principals and school leaders.

Over a 12 day program, school leaders from South Australia visited the cities of Shanghai, Weifang, Qingdao, Qufu, Jinan and Beijing, making important connections with several Chinese schools and participating in a broad program that allowed information sharing, cultural exchange, school visits, and academic forums.

Included in the program was the 7th China-Australia Principal’s Forum, this year renamed as the International Principal’s forum, with teachers from England, France and Japan joining an expanded format with almost 500 delegates. This forum was a great opportunity for cooperation, collaboration and information exchange between Chinese school leaders and their international counterparts.

This year close to 500 delegates attended the principal’s forum in Weifang

Other highlights of the tour included home visits, helping to create personal connections to go along with the institutional connections already established, and the early stages of the establishment of a number of new sister-school relationships. Including the signing of a memorandum of understanding between Weifang Foreign Languages School and St, Marks College to pursue a friendly schools relationship.

Greeting Chinese Students

Since 2007 the Confucius Institute has organised 15 tours to China, both for school principals and for teachers, helping to establish 9 sister school relationships and counting. We are already looking forward to next years trip in 2018!

It wasn’t all hard work, some principals even found some time to play soccer

]]>https://blogs.adelaide.edu.au/confucius/2017/06/05/2684/feed/0Hanyu Qiao for university students a great success!https://blogs.adelaide.edu.au/confucius/2017/06/05/hanyu-qiao-for-university-students-a-great-success/
https://blogs.adelaide.edu.au/confucius/2017/06/05/hanyu-qiao-for-university-students-a-great-success/#commentsMon, 05 Jun 2017 05:08:30 +0000http://blogs.adelaide.edu.au/confucius/?p=2680This year the Confucius Institute at the University of Adelaide hosted the ‘Hanyu Qiao’ Chinese Speaking Competition for University Students for the first time.

This competition now in its 16th year has in past years been held in Perth, while the University of Adelaide has held the equivalent competition for High School Students. Like previous year’s the competition was a hard fought one, and the students impressed many with their brilliant Chinese language skills. There could be only one winner however and Catherine Perry from Canberra’s Australian National University was a clear standout.

Joining Catherine in second place was the University of Adelaide’s Daniel Webb, both Daniel and Catherine will travel to China in the mid-semester break to compete at the international finals, lets hope they do as well as our competitors from last year!

Third Place was taken out by Bayan Yazdani from Flinders University who also performed excellently and was unlucky not to place higher.

A short highlights package of the competition can be seen below:

]]>https://blogs.adelaide.edu.au/confucius/2017/06/05/hanyu-qiao-for-university-students-a-great-success/feed/0Confucius Institute at the University of Adelaide – Celebrating 10 yearshttps://blogs.adelaide.edu.au/confucius/2017/05/23/confucius-institute-at-the-university-of-adelaide-celebrating-10-years/
https://blogs.adelaide.edu.au/confucius/2017/05/23/confucius-institute-at-the-university-of-adelaide-celebrating-10-years/#commentsTue, 23 May 2017 02:54:53 +0000http://blogs.adelaide.edu.au/confucius/?p=2705The Confucius Institute was officially launched in March 2007 by the then Federal Minister for Foreign Affairs the Hon. Alexander Downer.

2017 marks the 10th year anniversary of the establishment of the Confucius Institute at the University of Adelaide. Our 10th year anniversary will be celebrated throughout the year with many exciting events and activities, including an expanded presence at this year’s OzAsia festival.

Over the 10 years of our operation at the University of Adelaide our institute has run programs in hundreds of schools, engaging with thousands of students. We have run 9 study tours for university students and 14 for school teachers and leaders. We have also taken a number of SA parliamentarians on an educational trip to China, and run more than 40 ‘China Briefings’, all helping to create a better and more nuanced understanding of China in South Australia.

PVCI Nancy Cromar re-signs an extension of our agreement with her Shandong counterpart in 2017

This year we will celebrate these achievements and many more as we look back on our work over the years.

Watch this space as we look to update on some of our special plans for the second half of 2017.

In our second China Briefing for 2017, we look back on China’s One Child Policy, its history, implementations, outcomes and longstanding impact on China’s demographic balance. Join us as Professor Martin K Whyte tracks the policy’s ‘tortured history’, its effects on the demographic makeup of modern China, and the problems China may now face as a result of the Policy, including becoming ‘old before rich.’

In the second part of the briefing Dr. Lauren Johnston will add context to the ‘old before rich’ demographic challenge that China is confronting. China, much like Japan and South Korea is now facing an aging populace as over 65’s make up a growing share of the population. Unlike its North East Asian neighbours however, China is not yet ‘rich’. Is this as bad as it sounds though? And is China truly unique in staring down such a problem?

Speakers:

Professor Martin King Whyte is John Zwaanstra Professor of International Studies and Sociology Emeritus at Harvard University, and currently visiting Asia Scholar at the University of Melbourne. He specializes in the study of grass roots social organization and social change in the PRC. His most recent books are One Country, Two Societies: Rural-Urban Inequality in Contemporary China (editor, Harvard University Press, 2010) and Myth of the Social Volcano: Perceptions of Inequality and Distributive Injustice in Contemporary China (Stanford University Press, 2010).

Dr. Lauren A. Johnston is a Research Fellow in the Melbourne Institute of Applied Economic and Social Research, Faculty of Business and Economics, University of Melbourne. Lauren’s research in development economics applies mainly to China, Africa and China-Africa relations. Previously Lauren taught Chinese economy at the Beijing Foreign Studies University (IES), and held positions at the World Bank (DC) and World Economic Forum (Geneva). As an Overseas Development Institute Fellow she worked as an economist in the Ministries of Finance of Guyana and Sierra Leone, each for a year. Lauren holds a PhD (Econ) from Peking University, a MSc (Dev Econ) from the University of London (SOAS) and a BA/BCom from the University of Melbourne.

Chair：

Professor Mobo Gao was the founding director of the Confucius Institute at the University of Adelaide, and he is the author of books including Remembering Socialist China,1949-1976 (2015, co-author), The Battle for China’s Past: Mao and the Cultural Revolution (2008), Gao Village: Rural Life in Modern China (1999).

Following the talk, complimentary drinks and canapes will be served.

The Confucius Institute would like to thank the Hong Kong Australia Business Association SA for their support of this event.

This is a free event, however registration is essential:

]]>https://blogs.adelaide.edu.au/confucius/2017/04/10/may-4-china-briefing-chinas-demographic-challenge/feed/0Win a trip to China with this years ‘Hanyu Qiao’ Chinese speaking competitions!https://blogs.adelaide.edu.au/confucius/2017/04/04/win-a-trip-to-china-with-this-years-hanyu-qiao-chinese-speaking-competitions/
https://blogs.adelaide.edu.au/confucius/2017/04/04/win-a-trip-to-china-with-this-years-hanyu-qiao-chinese-speaking-competitions/#commentsTue, 04 Apr 2017 07:04:09 +0000http://blogs.adelaide.edu.au/confucius/?p=2669This year’s High School and University ‘Hanyu Qiao’ Chinese Bridge Competitions are just about to kick off, with both offering a chance to score a free trip to China for the top performers.

University CompetitionThe University Hanyu Qiao Competition for students from SA, WA, NT, and ACT will be held in Adelaide on May 6th, with the top two placers scoring a trip to China.

It’s really not as difficult as you think, and you don’t have to be the overall winner to score great prizes, last year both the winner and runner-up were students from the University of Adelaide.

To learn more, and for a registration form, check the link here. You may also like to talk to your Chinese teacher about how best to prepare.

High School CompetitionThis year the Hanyu Qiao Competition for High School students from SA, WA, NT and ACT will be held at the University of Western Australia in Perth. The Adelaide Confucius Institute has funding to send 4 competitors to the competition and will cover the flights, accommodation and meals for the four winners of a preliminary SA only competition.

To enter all you need to do is record a short video of you giving a speech in Chinese, and giving a Chinese themed performance. For more info and to register check out the details here.

The winner’s in Perth will be invited to China to compete at the international finals.

.Highlights of last year’s competition can be see here while the full competition recording is watchable here.

Natalie, Georgio & Corey at the 2016 University Hanyu Qiao Chinese Speaking Competition, Corey went on to place in the top 15 (!) in the finals in China

Participants at the 2016 High School Students Hanyu Qiao Competition

]]>https://blogs.adelaide.edu.au/confucius/2017/04/04/win-a-trip-to-china-with-this-years-hanyu-qiao-chinese-speaking-competitions/feed/0Big turnout for first China Briefing of the yearhttps://blogs.adelaide.edu.au/confucius/2017/02/21/big-turnout-for-first-china-briefing-of-the-year/
https://blogs.adelaide.edu.au/confucius/2017/02/21/big-turnout-for-first-china-briefing-of-the-year/#commentsTue, 21 Feb 2017 01:34:48 +0000http://blogs.adelaide.edu.au/confucius/?p=2648On Friday the 17th of February the Confucius Institute held our first China Briefing for 2017.

Featuring a talk from Shandong University’s Professor Yue Qiao and Professor Christopher Findlay from the University of Adelaide’s School of Professions, the briefing saw the 160 seat theatre filled almost to capacity with around 140 in attendance.

Covering the topic ‘China’s New Economic Plan and its Impacts on the Global Economy’ Professor Qiao spoke at length on the rapid changes the Chinese economy has gone through over the last four decades, highlighting specifically the huge changes in the last 10 years, including a greater than 300% average wage growth from 2005-2014. The era of cheap wages in China is certainly over, and the affects are far reaching!

Professor Findlay spoke about the three competing priorities for China’s continuing economic improvement, ‘Economy’, ‘Equity’ and ‘Environment’, and how the Chinese Government has began signalling a move away from simple GDP growth as the target of their five year plans. Instead, he spoke of the Chinese Government creating targets that take into account the environment and spread the benefits of growth to more people as they re-balance away from capital investment as the primary driver of growth.

Certainly however challenges abound; Professor Qiao spoke of the challenges the Chinese central government faces when trying to push regional governments to follow their direction, flagging tax reform as one way to help meet this challenge of conflicting incentives between regional and central governments. Professor Findlay spoke on the bargain that the Chinese Government has made with their citizens and how income growth (at around 6.5% p.a.) was part of that: Should growth fall much below that level, there is a high likelihood that the Government will be tempted to make large capital investments to prop up growth, avoiding the shift in the Chinese economy necessary to increase productivity, and ensure long term growth.

Did you miss the lecture? watch this space for an upload of the recording in the next few days!

The Confucius Institute’s China Briefings provide up to date knowledge of the most recent developments in China’s political, economic and cultural spheres that are of the most concern to the Australian public. This program brings top experts in the field to South Australian audiences to present speeches, talks or forums, free to the public.